What to Do when a Car Warranty Company Refuses to Pay a Claim

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If you have ever dealt with an aftermarket car warranty company when they refuse to pay for your vehicle’s repairs, then you know how frustrating it can be. It’s bad enough that you are paying for this coverage, and when your claims are being refused it makes it feel like you are wasting your money. But there are some vital steps you can take to increase your chances of being reimbursed or at least being heard by the warranty company. The worst thing you can do is to sit back and do nothing.

First, you should make sure that the claim you are making is legitimate. You should read and study the warranty contract so you know you are well within your rights to be making such a claim. This seems like an obvious fact, but you would be surprised at how many people do not understand what their warranty does and does not cover. Some of the biggest misunderstandings revolve around not knowing the difference between “wear and tear” coverage and “mechanical breakdown”. Know which type of warranty you have before you take the next step.

Once you have verified that your claim is legitimate you should take all of the warranty documents and bring them to the repair shop that has done the work on your car. They can help verify your claim and then write up a summary of the problems with the car that can be submitted to the warranty company. Make sure that they use the same sort of language that is written in the warranty documentation. You may have to pay the repair shop a little extra for this, but it will go a long way in getting your money back, and this money may be reimbursed as well.

When you send this information to the warranty company make sure you explain how the details of the repair shop’s report coincide with the terms of the contract. This should be clear cut evidence that the company has failed to meet their obligations to cover the repairs of your vehicle. Make your letter concise and easy to follow. The person who reads it needs to be able to read in a few moments what your complaint is so it can reach the proper channels.

If the car warranty company still refuses to pay your claim then you need to decide if you would like to take legal action. All of this documentation should be kept should you decide to go to small claims court. Keep copies of all letters and emails sent to and received from the company.

Short of reporting the company to a government agency this is really all you can do to try to get the company to pay your claim. It may not seem like much, but I know of several that have been able to get their money reimbursed after taking these actions. I hope this helps.

Guest post by Philip Richards, writer for an extended car warranty website that offers tips and advice on getting warranties on new and used vehicles.

About The Author

Jason Lancaster is the editor and founder of AccurateAutoAdvice.com. Jason has worked in the auto industry since 1998, including nearly 10 years of auto dealership experience. Jason started out as a salesperson and worked his way thru finance manager, sales manager, used car manager, and new car manager. Jason is also a bit of an expert on dealership service and repair, as well as the parts business. Jason has been cited as an auto expert by the BBC, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Newsweek, and more.